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| sabian92 |
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sabian92
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 Posted: 00:09 - 02 Sep 2013  Post subject: Best small bike to turn into a project? |
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Looking for a small (125ish, only on a CBT but equally don't want a 50cc hairdryer) to have as a project. Preferably one with a Haynes manual available as well 
Any ideas? Not fussy on style or anything apart from I'd rather 4 stroke and not dirt bikes. I'm the mechanical equivalent of Lennie from Of Mice and Men so something simple as well |
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prawny1
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| Teflon-Mike |
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Teflon-Mike
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Posted: 02:25 - 02 Sep 2013  Post subject: Re: Best small bike to turn into a project? |
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| sabian92 wrote: | Best small bike to turn into a project? |
That's a pretty wide remit.
Start at the VERY beginning with a very basic question:-
what do you want to achieve?
Write it down. Everything from 'I want it to do 150mph" to "I want it to have purple grips" and everything in between.
Some stuff is more achieveable than others... like "I want it to do 150mph!"... but if thats what you want... stick it on the list! You can come back to it later, and revise or re-prioratise your 'wants'. Might become something more like "Be nice if it was faster than a lawn mower"... and probably end up "I just wish the fucking thing would START!" but you got to start somewhere!
End of the day, its YOUR project, and that means its anything you want it to be; so start with the idea, and build it, on paper, as to what you hope to get out of it.
And DONT just concentrate on the final product... the bike. Thats the easy bit.
Think of anything and everything else around and to do with the whole project; things like:-
- I want to learn do do mechanics.
- I want to learn how an engine works.
- I want something I can use every day
- I want something that people will look at at a bike meet.
- I want a bike I wont be embarresed to be seen riding
- I want something that I enjoy riding
- I want something that is..... [start inserting your own 'wants']
So far, we have
- Small
- 125
- 4-stroke
- Not a Dirt Bike
We dont have any reason why you have suggested those facets of the machine or what else might really be important.
So... practicalities. 'Project'... what do you IMAGINE a project to be? What limits or constraints do you have around your project?
We talking a rolling renovation? Something basically working you can ride, straight away, that is not going to be out of service more than a couple of hours or a couple of days when you do something to it, working over a weekend or an evening after work?
OR are we talking from the ground up; do it all, from piece-parts, till its done, THEN ride it?
What facilities do you have at your disposal? How much time, money, space can you let the thing consume? Who might you piss off, trying to degrease engine cases in the bath-room, or painting petrol tanks in your bedroom, or rebuilding a carburettor next to the kettle? Or, leaving oily patches on the patio, or tools lying around the shed?
All in-direct questions, but need thinking about.
Rough Reckoner: Double the time, money, space, hassle you THINK it will take to 'do' you're project. Double it, add half again, and you might be close on one or two counts.
I do these sort of projects for fun, quite regularly; I REALLY ought to know better.... BUT... even with a damn good idea of what I'm letting myself in for; it hardly ever 'goes to plan'!
You need contingency to cope with these situations; time, money, space, and perseverance to deal with the hassle and not chuck it all in the bin!
Teenage Revival Toys?
What are they? Well, the older bikes people heading towards mid-life-crisis remember as the 'must have' motorcycle of thier youth. Yamaha TZR's; Honda NS's, Yamaha RD125's, Aprillia RS's... and 'stuff'... usually two-stroke. Come in tow forms. Either thrashed to death by over enthusiastic newbies for a couple of decades and botched to bits, or incredibly detailed restored machines, with hugely inflated price tags; your probably dont want to ride, but put on a plynth in the living room.
Get a scrapper; do it well, to a good saleable standard, these can, as a 'restoration' project actually be ecconomically viable. Most other stuff, probably wont be!
Chinky Bikes... probably best avoided.
They are cheap... but for a reason. Often beyond economical repair before their first MOT or not long after; they are never going to really be worth the bits to make them half decent; let alone the effort and hassle of trying to do it.
One of the few advantages of a Chink is that whatever you do to it, you probably cant make it any less valuable. But you can spend an awful lot of time and money, not making it less valuable!
But, if you have ideas of more extreme mods; ratting, bobbing, getting a bit more keen with creative metal fabrication.... well, like I said, you cant really make them much less valuable!
Taking an MOT failed CG125, that with a bit of work could be scrubbed up and be worth 'something' if fairly standard, and lopping off the frame rails behind the shock-mounts to 'bob-tail'... and make something that few other people would want, is rather winceable.
Honda Super-Dreams.... (My Achilles heel) STEER-THE-FUCK-CLEAR!
They are four-stroke; they tend to be reasonably well priced; they tend to be pretty well supported for bits; and they can be quite nice little bikes done well. But BY FUCK are they hard work! And they tend to be worth fuck all for it at the end of the day to boot!
But, end of the day; project is like as not to be steered by what comes along at the right money at the right time, as any grand scheme of finding the perfect 'Base' bike to do something with.
Final thought for you; seperating the variables. Bike to ride, bike to play mechano with.
You are only likely to want a Learner-Legal for a couple of years, at most; time your CBT lasts. End of which you will want something better and bigger and ought to be old enough to take tests to get something bigger and better.
Projects take time. I do them for fun, and have ground up restored three bikes in the last three years, and helped restore another, in between 'other stuff'.
Realistically, being organised, clued up, and having everything to hand when and where you need it; a full ground up rebiuld project is likely to be a six month deal. More likely a year, more likely NEVER.
That is the major risk; Hassles; problems you find along the way; stuff that doesn't work; finding stuff you just have to buy your way out of, and not having the money... all ultimately solveable... but not giving up? That's slightly harder.
Six months out of a bike you don't expect to use for more than two years? By the time its done? You probably wont want it, or your ideas will have changed.
And for a first timer? A lot of risk.
Especially if you have got this idea in your head about buying some old junker, for not a lot of money, and fixing it up 'cheap' to ride out your time on L's..... rarely works out.
Put the money in upfront, get a bike that does what you want. Long term, its almost certain to work out cheaper; almost certain to be a heck of a lot less hassle, and you are more likely to get an awful lot more value out the thing RIDING it than playing spanners in the garden and leaving oily hand prints on the fairy-liquid bottle!
Want a project bike? Seperate out the here and now 'wants' and scan the horizon. What do you think you would like in a couple of years time?
That gives you the chance to 'do' your project, in your own time. And looking at bigger bikes; machines that when done, are more useful, and likely to be more long-term useful you can ride the value out of.
Snowie; my O/H wanted to pack EVERYTHING into her little 125 'project'; she wanted to learn mechanics; build her own bike, and to a standard she knew was going to be 'good'; that would handle well, be confidence inspiring and reliable; as well as comfortable and practical, and ecconomical, and not TOO slow; and to get her tests on, and to ride to work on, and and and...
Now; you can read her blog of the project if you look at my profile; there's a link to it.
She DID achieve an awful lot of her wants from that project; I steered her away from the £100 spares or repairs projects that came in apple crates; and ultimately got her a running, rideable, but slightly 'ratty' Super-Dream that had supposedly just failed its MOT for fork seals!
She truly believed that she would have the thing torn down to the frame, painted, prepped and thoroughly reconditioned within a month..... slighly less optimistic I bought another bike for her as a 'rider' for when she realised that wasn't going to happen. It took her five months before she admitted it, and took the keys off me!
Took another seven months for her to get that bike to the MOT man. And the best part of £2K's worth of parts and materials... I had estimated a grand all in, with a couple of hundred contingency... but on an 'in for a penny-in for a pound' principle; not spoiling the boat for a happeth of tar, costs crept incrementally up.
If we'd cut corners and not used so many brand new parts; if she hadn't got carried away on her accessories and custom features; if we hadn't been quite so strict on the 'finish' and making it LOOK like a bike that had has that much attension and work... could have come away with something that was actually cheaper than a three year old YBR125... rather than as fucking expensive as a brand new one...
But even so.... market value; did not make either option worth while, REALLY, and only way it was worth doing financially, was that she WAS going to get the value riding it after.
Been on the road for two and a half years now since her 'project', and she got a years use out of it, before she managed to pass her tests....
NOW: worth mentioning that when she started the project; she was adamant she didn't need or want a 'big-bike'; she potters around town, doing rounds as a care assistant, rarely even touching 40mph limit roads; she insisted that a 125 was more than adequete for her needs, and the high mpg and low running costs were the most important things to her; so she would carry on riding the thing after she had past her tests...
For the last YEAR, she has been trawling e-bay every few days trying to find 'cheap' big-bikes.... Worse, big 'project' bikes!
Her 'wants' have significantly altered since she wanted to do the Pup-Project.... as I always suspected they would!
Yours are too!
As is, she is riding around on a bike, a great bike, all told; two MOT's since the project with ner but a wash and service, passed with no advisories. But, a bike that cost her as much as a brand new YBR or CBF.... that's only worth as much as a fifteen year old CG125. And the only way its paying her back for that investment, is by being used, and providing every-day ecconomical dependable transport.
But; little quip when the costs are mentioned; before she met me; her step-day and her fiance had helped her spend her money on a string of clapped out little 125's, insistin 'You dont spend big money on a little bike'... consequently she ended up spending £300 ish each on, err... I think it was six clapped out heaps, that these people told her were 'good bikes' that only need a little 'servicing'... paying people to fit new fork seals or do a top end rebuild, or weld exhausts... then when they siezed, or other-wise buggered up... having to chuck them away!
Low-Price does not always mean 'Cheap'... and the cost of 'the Pup', for all its just plain stupid to have spent as much money on a 25 year old motorbike as a brand new one.... has for two and half years given her more miles, and more trouble free, hassle free miles, than those half dozen 'cheap-heaps', that gave little but hassle for the most part, and ultimately didn't repay what was invested in them....
BUT... the 'sensible' thing would have been a 3-year old MOT fresh YBR.... HELL I even offered to buy her a BRAND NEW Honda CBR125, and even THAT, two and half years on, would ultimately have been 'cheaper'.
This is the harsh reality of 'projects'.
They rarely make ecconomic sense. Its almost certain that you would get ore biking for your money, being boring and just doing the 'sensible' thing and getting a more expensive YBR125 or similar. 'Turn-Key' machine.
And if you dont want to do a full ground up project, or hope to save money doing a 'fixer-upper'; but want to get a cheap little bike you can mugger around with, and 'customise'? Well. unfortunate fact, customised bikes rarely sell as well, or for as much money than standard ones. Even bikes that are more fashionably 'accessorized' will rarely hold value against a show-room spec bike. So even there; anything you do, anything you spend, on the bike is unlikely to improve its resale vale, highly likely to reduce it, and significantly.
And as said; Learner-Legal is a bike, at best, you probably wont want to keep more than a couple of years; so you HAVE to consider that 'conclusion' and what you will do at the end of it, and whether you will get any of your money back, or have to chuck the thing away.
Projects CAN be a heck of a lot of fun... but they can also be a FUCKLOAD of FRUSTRATION!
So start right at the beginning, and think hard...
what do you want to achieve?
Then, maybe we can give you some better advice; but best advice is... DON'T do a Learner-Legal project! Seriously. Hey a turn-key rider, and get something bigger as a long term rider for when you have done tests.
____________________
My Webby'Tef's-tQ, loads of stuff about my bikes, my Land-Rovers, and the stuff I do with them!
Current Bikes:'Honda VF1000F' ;'CB750F2N' ;'CB125TD ( 6 3 of em!)'; 'Montesa Cota 248'. Learner FAQ's:= 'U want to Ride a Motorbike! Where Do U start?' |
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caferacer
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mudcow007
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sabian92
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Posted: 20:36 - 02 Sep 2013  Post subject: Re: Best small bike to turn into a project? |
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| Teflon-Mike wrote: |
That's a pretty wide remit.
Start at the VERY beginning with a very basic question:-
what do you want to achieve?
Write it down. Everything from 'I want it to do 150mph" to "I want it to have purple grips" and everything in between. Some stuff is more achieveable than others... like "I want it to do 150mph!"... but if thats what you want... stick it on the list! You can come back to it later, and revise or re-prioratise your 'wants'. Might become something more like "Be nice if it was faster than a lawn mower"... and probably end up "I just wish the fucking thing would START!" but you got to start somewhere! End of the day, its YOUR project, and that means its anything you want it to be; so start with the idea, and build it, on paper, as to what you hope to get out of it.
And DON'T just concentrate on the final product... the bike. Thats the easy bit.
Think of anything and everything else around and to do with the whole project; things like:-
- I want to learn do do mechanics.
- I want to learn how an engine works.
- I want something I can use every day
- I want something that people will look at at a bike meet.
- I want a bike I wont be embarresed to be seen riding
- I want something that I enjoy riding
- I want something that is..... [start inserting your own 'wants']
So far, we have
- Small
- 125
- 4-stroke
- Not a Dirt Bike
We dont have any reason why you have suggested those facets of the machine or what else might really be important. So... practicalities. 'Project'... what do you IMAGINE a project to be? What limits or constraints do you have around your project?
We talking a rolling renovation? Something basically working you can ride, straight away, that is not going to be out of service more than a couple of hours or a couple of days when you do something to it, working over a weekend or an evening after work, or are we talking from the ground up; do it all, from piece-parts, till its done, THEN ride it?
What facilities do you have at your disposal? How much time, money, space can you let the thing consume? Who might you piss off, trying to degrease engine cases in the bath-room, or painting petrol tanks in your bedroom, or rebuilding a carburettor next to the kettle? Or, leaving oily patches on the patio, or tools lying around the shed?
All in-direct questions, but need thinking about.
Rough Reckoner: Double the time, money, space, hassle you THINK it will take to 'do' your project. Double it, add half again, and you might be close on one or two counts. I do these sort of projects for fun, quite regularly; I REALLY ought to know better.... BUT... even with a damn good idea of what I'm letting myself in for; it hardly ever 'goes to plan'!
You need contingency to cope with these situations; time, money, space, and perseverance to deal with the hassle and not chuck it all in the bin!
Teenage Revival Toys?
What are they? Well, the older bikes people heading towards mid-life-crisis remember as the 'must have' motorcycle of thier youth. Yamaha TZR's; Honda NS's, Yamaha RD125's, Aprillia RS's... and 'stuff'... usually two-stroke. Come in two forms. Either thrashed to death by over enthusiastic newbies for a couple of decades and botched to bits, or incredibly detailed restored machines, with hugely inflated price tags; your probably don't want to ride, but put on a ply nth in the living room.
Get a scrapper; do it well, to a good salable standard, these can, as a 'restoration' project actually be economically viable. Most other stuff, probably wont be!
Chinky Bikes... probably best avoided.
They are cheap... but for a reason. Often beyond economical repair before their first MOT or not long after; they are never going to really be worth the bits to make them half decent; let alone the effort and hassle of trying to do it. One of the few advantages of a Chink is that whatever you do to it, you probably cant make it any less valuable. But you can spend an awful lot of time and money, not making it less valuable!
But, if you have ideas of more extreme mods; ratting, bobbing, getting a bit more keen with creative metal fabrication.... well, like I said, you cant really make them much less valuable!
Taking an MOT failed CG125, that with a bit of work could be scrubbed up and be worth 'something' if fairly standard, and lopping off the frame rails behind the shock-mounts to 'bob-tail'... and make something that few other people would want, is rather winceable.
Honda Super-Dreams.... (My Achilles heel) STEER-THE-FUCK-CLEAR!
They are four-stroke; they tend to be reasonably well priced; they tend to be pretty well supported for bits; and they can be quite nice little bikes done well. But BY FUCK are they hard work! And they tend to be worth fuck all for it at the end of the day to boot! But, end of the day; project is like as not to be steered by what comes along at the right money at the right time, as any grand scheme of finding the perfect 'Base' bike to do something with. Final thought for you; separating the variables. Bike to ride, bike to play mechanic with.
You are only likely to want a Learner-Legal for a couple of years, at most; time your CBT lasts. End of which you will want something better and bigger and ought to be old enough to take tests to get something bigger and better.
Projects take time. I do them for fun, and have ground up restored three bikes in the last three years, and helped restore another, in between 'other stuff'. Realistically, being organised, clued up, and having everything to hand when and where you need it; a full ground up rebuild project is likely to be a six month deal. More likely a year, more likely NEVER.
That is the major risk; Hassles; problems you find along the way; stuff that doesn't work; finding stuff you just have to buy your way out of, and not having the money... all ultimately solvable... but not giving up? That's slightly harder.
Six months out of a bike you don't expect to use for more than two years? By the time its done? You probably wont want it, or your ideas will have changed.
And for a first timer? A lot of risk.
Especially if you have got this idea in your head about buying some old junker, for not a lot of money, and fixing it up 'cheap' to ride out your time on L's..... rarely works out.
Put the money in upfront, get a bike that does what you want. Long term, its almost certain to work out cheaper; almost certain to be a heck of a lot less hassle, and you are more likely to get an awful lot more value out the thing RIDING it than playing spanners in the garden and leaving oily hand prints on the fairy-liquid bottle!
Want a project bike? Separate out the here and now 'wants' and scan the horizon. What do you think you would like in a couple of years time?
That gives you the chance to 'do' your project, in your own time. And looking at bigger bikes; machines that when done, are more useful, and likely to be more long-term useful you can ride the value out of.
Snowie; my O/H wanted to pack EVERYTHING into her little 125 'project'; she wanted to learn mechanics; build her own bike, and to a standard she knew was going to be 'good'; that would handle well, be confidence inspiring and reliable; as well as comfortable and practical, and economical, and not TOO slow; and to get her tests on, and to ride to work on, and and and...
Now; you can read her blog of the project if you look at my profile; there's a link to it.
She DID achieve an awful lot of her wants from that project; I steered her away from the £100 spares or repairs projects that came in apple crates; and ultimately got her a running, rideable, but slightly 'ratty' Super-Dream that had supposedly just failed its MOT for fork seals!
She truly believed that she would have the thing torn down to the frame, painted, prepped and thoroughly reconditioned within a month..... slightly less optimistic I bought another bike for her as a 'rider' for when she realised that wasn't going to happen. It took her five months before she admitted it, and took the keys off me!
Took another seven months for her to get that bike to the MOT man. And the best part of £2K's worth of parts and materials... I had estimated a grand all in, with a couple of hundred contingency... but on an 'in for a penny-in for a pound' principle; not spoiling the boat for a happeth of tar, costs crept incrementally up.
If we'd cut corners and not used so many brand new parts; if she hadn't got carried away on her accessories and custom features; if we hadn't been quite so strict on the 'finish' and making it LOOK like a bike that had has that much attention and work... could have come away with something that was actually cheaper than a three year old YBR125... rather than as fucking expensive as a brand new one...
But even so.... market value; did not make either option worth while, REALLY, and only way it was worth doing financially, was that she WAS going to get the value riding it after. Been on the road for two and a half years now since her 'project', and she got a years use out of it, before she managed to pass her tests....
NOW: worth mentioning that when she started the project; she was adamant she didn't need or want a 'big-bike'; she potters around town, doing rounds as a care assistant, rarely even touching 40mph limit roads; she insisted that a 125 was more than adequete for her needs, and the high mpg and low running costs were the most important things to her; so she would carry on riding the thing after she had past her tests...
For the last YEAR, she has been trawling e-bay every few days trying to find 'cheap' big-bikes.... Worse, big 'project' bikes!
Her 'wants' have significantly altered since she wanted to do the Pup-Project.... as I always suspected they would!
Yours are too!
As is, she is riding around on a bike, a great bike, all told; two MOT's since the project with ner but a wash and service, passed with no advisories. But, a bike that cost her as much as a brand new YBR or CBF.... that's only worth as much as a fifteen year old CG125. And the only way its paying her back for that investment, is by being used, and providing every-day economical dependable transport. But; little quip when the costs are mentioned; before she met me; her step-dad and her fiance had helped her spend her money on a string of clapped out little 125's, insisting 'You dont spend big money on a little bike'... consequently she ended up spending £300 ish each on, err... I think it was six clapped out heaps, that these people told her were 'good bikes' that only need a little 'servicing'... paying people to fit new fork seals or do a top end rebuild, or weld exhausts... then when they seized, or other-wise buggered up... having to chuck them away!
Low-Price does not always mean 'Cheap'... and the cost of 'the Pup', for all its just plain stupid to have spent as much money on a 25 year old motorbike as a brand new one.... has for two and half years given her more miles, and more trouble free, hassle free miles, than those half dozen 'cheap-heaps', that gave little but hassle for the most part, and ultimately didn't repay what was invested in them....
BUT... the 'sensible' thing would have been a 3-year old MOT fresh YBR.... HELL I even offered to buy her a BRAND NEW Honda CBR125, and even THAT, two and half years on, would ultimately have been 'cheaper'.
This is the harsh reality of 'projects'.
They rarely make economic sense. Its almost certain that you would get ore biking for your money, being boring and just doing the 'sensible' thing and getting a more expensive YBR125 or similar. 'Turn-Key' machine, and if you don't want to do a full ground up project, or hope to save money doing a 'fixer-upper'; but want to get a cheap little bike you can mugger around with, and 'customise'? Well. unfortunate fact, customised bikes rarely sell as well, or for as much money than standard ones. Even bikes that are more fashionably 'accessorized' will rarely hold value against a show-room spec bike. So even there; anything you do, anything you spend, on the bike is unlikely to improve its resale vale, highly likely to reduce it, and significantly.
And as said; Learner-Legal is a bike, at best, you probably wont want to keep more than a couple of years; so you HAVE to consider that 'conclusion' and what you will do at the end of it, and whether you will get any of your money back, or have to chuck the thing away.
Projects CAN be a heck of a lot of fun... but they can also be a FUCKLOAD of FRUSTRATION!
So start right at the beginning, and think hard...
what do you want to achieve?
Then, maybe we can give you some better advice; but best advice is... DON'T do a Learner-Legal project! Seriously. Hey a turn-key rider, and get something bigger as a long term rider for when you have done tests. |
First of all - thanks for opening my apparently very naive eyes to the world of building bikes. Good fucking lord At the moment it is literally just to learn about how stuff works etc - I don't want it as a rider for the forseeable future as I'm getting a bike anyway - looking at a new CBF or YBR because I'm going to be on it for at least the next 5 years (down to cost and cost only - insurance on A2 bikes was over 2 even on a Ninja 250!)
I do want a strip down and rebuild job - may as well considering it's a part time hobby I want to distract me from my university studies I might go for something bigger that I can't ride at the moment but will be able to eventually. Give me a reason to get my A2 or unrestricted licence.
You've given me a LOT to think about - thank you very much! |
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G
The Voice of Reason
Joined: 02 Feb 2002
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| Posted: 22:57 - 02 Sep 2013 Post subject: Re: Best small bike to turn into a project? |
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So you're going for a new bike based on cost  .
For the record, old bikes are cheaper.
Turning a bike into a project is easy.
The trick is turning a project in to a bike  .
Oh and please don't write everything down as I believe has been suggested.
Therein lies the path of many damaged scroll wheels!
Oh and; get the best value for money bike in your budget. |
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Alice-In-Sunderland
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sabian92
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Joined: 21 Oct 2012
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| Posted: 19:43 - 03 Sep 2013 Post subject: Re: Best small bike to turn into a project? |
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| G wrote: | So you're going for a new bike based on cost .
For the record, old bikes are cheaper.
Turning a bike into a project is easy.
The trick is turning a project in to a bike .
Oh and please don't write everything down as I believe has been suggested.
Therein lies the path of many damaged scroll wheels!
Oh and; get the best value for money bike in your budget. |
Well, to be honest, doing 200 miles a week for at least the next four years, so something that's under warranty is a big plus for me. I'm mechanically retarded so fixing anything is just... impossible.
Plus I can't afford the up front payment so I was going 0% finance on a bike as it's easier plus it'll help build my credit score as I'm a student and nobody will lend me money for anything I had to nearly throw a shit fit for the bank to give me my overdraft (that's interest free...) because apparently I "wasn't eligible" for some reason.
Apologies for quoting that block of text, I did mean to delete it once I'd replied but I forgot.
I might go for a bigger (600cc+) bike to strip and rebuild. Give me an excuse to get my A licence and I'll already have a 125. |
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A100man
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| sabian92 |
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sabian92
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| Posted: 22:13 - 03 Sep 2013 Post subject: Re: Best small bike to turn into a project? |
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| caferacer |
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caferacer
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lihp
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| RhynoCZ |
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RhynoCZ
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| Posted: 12:54 - 05 Sep 2013 Post subject: |
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I don't know if I'm late, but check prices and availability of parts and then look for a motorcycle. Cheap is what you should aim for. 
If I wanted a project bike, I'd go for a CZ, tons of cheap parts and I'm fan of the factory. You also live in a ''motorcycle'' country, so get something local I say, if it's affordable.
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'87 Honda XBR 500, '96 Kawasaki ZX7R P1, '90 Honda CB-1, '88 Kawasaki GPz550, MZ 150 ETZ
'95 Mercedes-Benz w202 C200 CGI, '98 Mercedes-Benz w210 E200 Kompressor |
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| stevo as b4 |
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stevo as b4
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| Posted: 13:51 - 05 Sep 2013 Post subject: |
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Going about it the wrong way tbh!
If you want a project bike to fix up and restore, then as a first project I'd look for a complete and taxed running machine, that needs cosmetic improvement and a bit of mechanical fettling etc.
Set a budget and look around in your local area for something that pops up under your nose, so you don't have to travel and waste money going to collect it.
Unless you really after something specific in mind or want it for a set purpose like an off roader etc, then be open to local suitable and cheap bikes.
I'd impose a few rules to myself for a project bike though, and say for ease of parts supply it needs to be one of the jap four, and also that it should at least mid 1980's> as there's a bit more likelihood that's spare parts are going to be fairly straightforward to source. I'd also probably say no to fully faired sportsbikes that were popular as race bikes, as plastics have dried up for many such as the KR1S for example.
I suppose the last rule would be don't take on a project that your heart's not really in. So if you hate say sports bikes or custom/cruiser's etc, try to avoid!
I'm a bit of a whore and would have a good go at a lot of different styles of bike, but A modern plastic bodied twist and go would probably be the one thing that I couldn't find the love for to spend time slaving over, but then everyone is different! |
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| Im-a-Ridah |
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Im-a-Ridah
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Tbag
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Im-a-Ridah
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Tbag
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| mudcow007 |
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mudcow007
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| nathan k |
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nathan k
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| Robby |
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Robby
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| Posted: 09:53 - 06 Sep 2013 Post subject: |
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Projects tend to up going well over time and budget - the majority of us on here that have owned bikes that started off as projects could have had something better and newer for less money overall, but spannering is addictive.
Why not get a working 125 to ride, and have a project bike to ride after passing your test. Less pressure to get it finished, which means fewer emergency bodges because you don't need it working tomorrow to go to work.
Also remember project can mean a lot of things, anything from a full service to a full restoration.
Don't go for anything too old, rare, or expensive. Early 90s sports bikes or midsize commuters should make quite good projects at the moment. Prices are low, parts are cheap (particularly second hand) and they're old enough to benefit from a thorough going-over with lots of bearings and small bits.
Don't go looking for a specific bike. Feed your overall criteria into an ebay search (size, location, price, age) and keep bidding on sheds until you win one. |
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| pepperami |
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pepperami
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| RyanTZR125 |
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RyanTZR125
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| Posted: 11:32 - 06 Sep 2013 Post subject: |
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My first bike of choice was the Honda CG 125, but I came across a Honda H100A paid a fairly reasonal price at £270, no MOT. If you'd like to see its progress have a look at my thread
https://www.bikechatforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=264980
I never touched a bike mechanically, but wanted something small, easy to work and learn on etc but something I could ride while modding. She's fitted the bill so far
Just don't expect to do it all in one go, take your time, get it right first time, so you don't have to go back and fix your rushed job
Wiring in particular, don't be tempted to just twist and tape wire together, trust me you'll be pulling it all apart again in a week and doing it properly, because your indicators have stopped working or you have no brake light.
A haynes manual is a great help, but don't trust them fully, they can sometimes lie to you
Most important of all, get stuck in and enjoy it, nothing better than getting the tools out on a Sunday morning
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1998 Yamaha TZR 125 4HX.
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| Derivative |
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Derivative
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Old Thread Alert!
The last post was made 12 years, 201 days ago. Instead of replying here, would creating a new thread be more useful? |
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